Author's Note: All previous volumes of this series are available here. The first 56 volumes are compiled in the book "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible." "Part Two," featuring volumes 57-113, was published in December 2022.
Thanks for stopping by. If you missed last week's study, Vol. 334: "What the Old Testament Says About Earthquakes," please take five minutes to read it.
To briefly recap, in recent months there has been a series of deadly earthquakes around the world. Those occurrences prompted me to research what the Bible says about earthquakes, and I found many passages. Then, I mentioned while writing Vol. 334 that Indonesia was struck by a 7.7-magnitude earthquake, followed by Peru, which I considered a tragic yet divine confirmation from my “Assignment Editor.”
Before turning to what the New Testament Gospels say about earthquakes, remember that God created the earth and shakes it according to His will. In the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible), earthquakes are often linked to God’s judgment, serving as a course correction or punishment for humankind’s disobedience.
In May 2012, NBC News reported on a geological study of seismic activity on Friday, April 3, in the year 33. Could that be the day Jesus died on the cross, since Matthew 27:51 says the “earth shook” the moment Jesus “gave up His spirit”?
We begin with a warning from Jesus about earthquakes and other calamities related to the End Times. Frightening daily headlines reflect Jesus’s warnings; additionally, droughts in the Western U.S. and Europe are bringing severe consequences:
“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains” (Matthew 24:6-8).
When hearing about domestic and international events, it may seem that the End Times are near, but they have been unfolding for centuries. As Jesus said above, “See to it that you are not alarmed.” Therefore, go about honoring and trusting Him, remembering that you can control only your own behavior and, to some extent, your family’s.
Next is the New Testament’s most important earthquake-related passage, notable for its timing and the ripple effects that followed Jesus’s death on the cross. Let’s read the entire passage, and then we’ll dissect it.
“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split, and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people. When the centurion and those with Him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and exclaimed, “Surely He was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:50-54).
Subsequently, three critical events were connected to the earthquake that occurred when Jesus “gave up His spirit.” At that moment, God made His presence known, signaling that something of great significance had occurred.
The first miraculous event was the tearing of the temple curtain in two. That magnificent curtain separated humanity from the Almighty. (For more details, see Vol. 229, “Why the Temple Curtain Was Torn in Two When Jesus Died.”) This was no ordinary curtain, for God designed it with specific instructions:
“Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim woven into it by a skilled worker…. Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the covenant law behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place” (Exodus 26:31-33).
God’s presence dwelt in the Most Holy Place called the “Holy of Holies.” That was the inner room of the Jerusalem temple’s tabernacle. Within that sacred space lay the Ark of the Covenant, which, when opened, revealed a sample of manna, Aaron’s rod, and the Ten Commandments — two of God’s miracles and the law described in Exodus.
Feeling the earthquake at the nearby temple, the high priests knew that only God's power could have torn the heavy 60-ft-high curtain from top to bottom. But why was it torn precisely when Jesus died?
Christ, the sacrificial Lamb of God, shed His blood on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of the world. After doing so, animal blood and animal sacrifice were no longer needed for the forgiveness of sins, especially after His Resurrection. Without a curtain, humankind is free to go directly to God and enter a personal relationship. There are no barriers between you and Jesus, except for the “curtains” of your own making.
The second earthquake-related event associated with Christ’s death reads:
“The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people” (Matthew 27:51-53).
Why did Jesus’s death cause “many holy people who died [to be] raised to life”? This event is mentioned only in the Gospel of Matthew. Perhaps it is meant to emphasize Jesus’s conquest of death.
The third event related to the earthquake at Jesus’s death is God’s display of power to the Roman guards. This likely led to conversions from paganism:
“When the centurion and those with Him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified and exclaimed, ‘Surely He was the Son of God!’”(Matthew 27:54).
Then it was time for Jesus’s resurrection; God again used an earthquake:
“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men” (Matthew 28:1-4).
Next week we will discuss earthquake passages beyond the gospels. One caused a miraculous jailbreak, and the book of Revelation predicts several great quakes.
With all the recent earthquakes, if this study unnerves you, it should. But all you can do is get right or stay right with the Lord. The curtain is torn; go to Jesus. He is there, waiting for you.
Myra Kahn Adams is a conservative political and religious writer. Her book "Bible Study For Those Who Don't Read The Bible" reprints the first 56 volumes of this popular study. "Part 2" reprints Vols. 57-113. Order it here.
Myra is also the Executive Director of the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit. You can help support our six-month exhibit at the Basilica in Orlando, Florida. Now extended until the end of 2026. Read more here. Contact: Myraadams01@gmail.com